b"HEALING ARTMMIWG COMMEMORATION PROJECTIn the fall of 2019, ONWA launched its special MMIWG Commemoration Project intended to create an artistic opportunity for healing. It honours the lives and legacies of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, says ONWAs community development manager Michele Solomon. Its intended to increase awareness of the issue of MMIWG and also the loss to the families. As part of this initiative, four communitiesThunder Bay, Ottawa, Kenora and Sioux Lookoutwere selected to develop their own art projects. An art therapist and elder would visit each community to reach out to people affected by MMIWG and then aid them in developing their own healing piece of art. It could be a star blanket, beading, quilt, or any creation they feel can help in the healing process.This work, when done in a sacred way and a good way, has the power to create healing for families and has the power to help others under-stand loss, explains Solomon. Also, Indigenous women who have been murdered or are missing are often presented in a negative way. This is a way to honour their life as more than a murdered woman or how they are portrayed in the mainstream media.While ONWA already completed the first round of engagement sessions to get the project running, inviting the communities to conceive their own self-determined expression, the COVID-19 shutdown has prompted the association to suspend the project for the time being. If it were not for COVID-19, we would have already returned to the communities with an arts-based therapist to help guide this process and ensure that its a healing process, says Solomon, adding, At this stage things are on hold.An example of a quilt that is Originally intended to end in March 2021, the Commemoration Project maypart of ONWA's collection of now be extended.Indigenous craftworkA third collective healing project has been First Nations Power Authority is the only not for profitthe Mandela Rock Project, which uses art membership-driven, Indigenous governed entity in Canada focused ontherapy to honour MMIWG. Participants Indigenous opportunities in renewable energy. Having been in operation sinceare given the opportunity to mark small 2011, we have over 135 Indigenous and Industry members from across Canada. rocks with their own images and messages, as well as colourful dots that symbolize Become a Member today! and honour positive memories or Our new Indigenous Business classification ensures your 51% Indigenous ownedattributes of women who have been or are business will stand out among leading organizations in the renewable energy sector. missing or murdered. Loved ones are thenFNPAs expertise ensures that your community receives the guidance it needs toencouraged to place the rocks somewhere sacred or special to commemorate the complete successful community scale and utility scale projects. memory of the person they are honouring.We want you to succeed!FNPA has scholarship and bursary opportunities for those who are enrolled in a post- A SPECIAL DRESSsecondary institution for renewable energy, environmental studies, sustainability andA particularly unique piece in the ONWA business. We encourage you to apply! collection is the Grandmother Earth Dress. Contact our Membership Manager, The vision for it came from one of our Rebecca Agecoutay staff, and it was made by another one of ragecoutay@fnpa.ca| 1-866-359-3672 our staff and her mother, says ONWAs community development manager www.fnpa.ca Michele Solomon. Created in 2017, the Grandmother Earth Dress has 365 jingles, 18Spring/Summer 2020"